Wire tightener



Oct. 16, 1934.

E. R. FERGUSON w WIRE TIGHTENER 2 sheets-shez Filed April 24, 1934 M nl@ Oct. 16, 1934. E, R. FERGUSN WIRE TIGHTENER Filed April 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Shea?l Patented Oct. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES Partnr erstes WIRE TFGHTENEBI Evin R. Ferguson, Mitchell, Nebr. Application April 24, 1934, Serial No. 722,178

4 Claims. (C1. zei-18s) This invention relates to wire pulling devices and more particularly to a puller or tightener which is so constructed that it can be readily adjusted after being initially tightened so that the wire can be additionally tightened without re leasing the partially tightened wire.

An object of this invention is to provide a tightener or puller of this type which embodies a plurality of tackle blocks or sheaves having an elongated rope engaged therewith in amanner so that the rope may be pulled and gripped or clamped in a manner that if the free end of the rope is loosened, the wire, which is partially tightened, will not become loosened, thereby permitting an adjustment ofrseveral of the blocks or sheaves relative to each other so that the wire may be additionally tightened without slackening the partially tightened wire. Y

Anotherobject of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind means whereby the rope holder can be readily moved to released position so that the rope may be loosened after the wire has been suitably tightened.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described and in part be understood from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:-

Figure l is a detail side elevation of a device constructed according to the preferred embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view partly broken away.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view ofV one of the end sheaves or blocks with the side plate removed therefrom and the rope holder in clamped position.

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3 but with the rope holder in released position.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing how the rope is trained over the sheaves or blocks.

Figure 6 is a. fragmentary side elevation of a rope holder or clamp secured to another of the blocks.

Figure 7 is a detail side elevation of a different type of rope clamp or holder which may be used in connection with this invention.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral V10 designates generally a sheave or block provided with a U-shaped clevis 11 having a hook 13 secured to the central portion thereof.` A second sheave or block 12 having a clevis or U-shaped member 14 provided with a hook 15 is disposed in spaced relation to the block or Sheave 10 and a length of rope 16 is trained over the pulleys comprising the sheaves 10 and 12, as will be hereinafter described.

Thexsheave or block 10 comprises a pair of 60 inner spaced plates 17 between which an intermediate pulley 18 is rotatably carried by a shaft 19, The plates 1'? are spaced lapart by means of spacingmembers 20 and in the present instance, are of substantially triangular configuration with apin 21 engaging through the two plates at the inner end thereof at one side and a second pin 22 engaging the'two plates 17 at the opposite side from the pin 21. A pair of outer pulleys 23 and 24 are mounted on the shaft 19 on opposite sides 70 of the middle or intermediate pulley 18 and plates 25 and 26, respectively, engage against the outer face of the pulleys 23 and 24.

The block or sheave 12 comprises side plates 27 having a pair of spaced shafts 28 and 29 disposed 7 5 therethrough on Which are mounted pulleys 30 and 3l, respectively. An intermediate or pulling sheave or block, generally designated as 32, is disposed between the two blocks l0 and l2, and comprises a pair of intermediate plates 33 dis- S0 posed in spaced relation to each other which have a shaft 34 extending therethrough. An intermediate pulley 35 is journaled on the shaft 34 and Vori opposite sides of the intermediate plates 33, there are pulleys 36 and 37 which are also 85 journaled on the shaft 34. Outside plates 38 and 39 engage against the 4outer side of the pulleys 36 and 37.

The intermediate plates 33 are relatively wider than the outer plates 38 and 39, being provided 90 With lateral extensions 40 and 41. An idler pulley 42 is journaled between the extensions 40 in spaced relation to the shaft 34, and a second idler pulley 43 is journaled between the extensions 41 at a point opposed to the first idler pulley 42. A third idler pulley in the form of a tightening member 44 is journaled between the intermediate plates 33 at a point spaced longitudinally from the pulley 35.

'Ihe rope 16 has a loop 45 at one end which is 100 engaged about the pin 21 in the block or sheave 1G and the rope is then extended in the direction of the sheave or block 12 with the length 46 of this rope trained over the pulley 30. The rope is then continued as by length 4'7 and passed over 105 the idling pulley member 44 and then returned as by length 48 to the pulley 3l over which it is trained, and the length 49 is then extended in the direction of the nrst block 10 being trained over the idler pulley 43 and then looped over a 110 clamping hook, generally designated as 56, which is mounted on the pin 22 in the block 10.

As will be more specifically indicated in Fig. 6, this hook or holding member 50 permits the adjustment, either the lengthening or the shortening of the length of rope 49, and comprises a bar 51 having a hook 52 directed rearwardly or in the direction of the pin 22 and a second xed hook 53 spaced laterally from the hook 52 but directed forwardly. A swinging hook or locking member 54 is pivotally mounted on the bar 51 and coacts with the two hook members 52 and 53, which constitute xed clamping members to releasably clamp the looped rope passing through the hook member 56. This hook 54 has the looped portion thereof directed rearwardly or in the same direction as the rear fixed hooked member 52.

After passing through the hook 56, the rope 16 is continued with the length 55 extending in the direction of the pulling sheave 32 and is trained over the outer pulley 37 and then continued as by length 56 in the direction of the shcave 10, and the rope is then trained over the pulley 26 and continued as by length 57 in the direction of the sheave 32, being trained over the pulley 35.

rThe rope is then continued as by length 56 in the i direction of the sheave 16, being trained over the pulley 13 and then continued further as by length 59 in the direction of the pulling sheave 32 where it is trained over the pulley 36. The rope is continued further as by length 66 in the direction of thesheave 16 and is trained over the outer pulley 23, and the rope may be continued for any desired length with the remaining portion of the rope free so that the three sheaves or blocks may be separated for the desired distance so that the wire or other Y means connected to one of the outer blocks or sheaves will be tightened, as may be desired. Y

When it is desired to tighten a length of wire, the hook 13 may be secured as by a chain or rope or other means to a xed member in the form of a post or the like, and the hook 15 may be secured to an end of the wire or member to be tightened. The free portion 61 of the rope 16 is then pulled and this will tend to draw th-e intermediate sheave 32 toward the rear sheave 10. Movement of the sheave 32 toward the sheave 10 will cause the lengths 46 and 49 of the rope to be shortened by reason of the movement of the pulling idler 44 in the direction of the sheave 10.

After the intermediate or pulling sheave 32 has moved to a point relatively close to the fixed or rear sheave 10, a rope holding member, generally designated as 62, carried by the sheave 12 is moved to operative or clamping position so that the length 46 of the rope will not be slackened and like manner, the sheave 12 cannot move relative to the sheave 16. At this time, the free end 61 of the rope can be released so as to loosen the lengths of the rope which are trained over the pulleys carried by the sheaves 10 and 32, thereby permitting the pulling or intermediate sheave 32 to be moved forwardly in the direction of the forward sheave 12. When this movement takes place, the lengths 47, 48 and 49 of the rope will be slackened but the clamping hook 54 can be swung to released position so that this slack may be initially taken up and the hook 54 then swung into clamping position when the length 49 is substantially equal to the length 46. The free end 6l of the rope can be pulled again and the pulling or intermediate sheave 32 moved toward the rear sheave 16, as hereinbefore described.

The rope holding member 62comprises a U- shaped member 63 provided with forwardly extending slotted arms 64 loosely engaging over a pin 65 carried by the side plates 27. A rocking rope holding member 66 is mounted on a pin 67 carried by the free legs of the U-shaped member 63 and is spaced from the bight of the member 63 a distance sufficient that when in released position, the rope 16 will readily move between the inner surface of this cam-shaped member 66 and the bight of the member 63. An extension 63 is carried by the cam-shaped member 66 extending in the direction of the pulley 36, and when the rope holding member 62 is in clamping position, as shown in Figure 3, the extension 68 is raised and the U-shaped plate 63 is moved forwardly a distance such that the extension 68 will constitute a lever engaging against the groove of th pulley 30 and .actingk to press the eccentric portion of the member 66 against the rope 16 so as to tighten this rope within the holding member 62. The greater the strain applied to the sheave '12,V the greater the pressure will vbe applied'to the rope 16 by the clamping member 66.

When it is desired tov release the holder 62, the L! -shaped member 63 is moved rearwardly and the lever or extension 68 is swung inwardly to a position, as shown in Figure 4, being held in this position by means of a transversely extending pin 69 carried by the lever 68, which engages the rear endsof the arms 64.` In this position, the rope 16 is free to move forwardly through the holding meinber- 66. After the wire has been tightened to the esired degree, it can be held in this position not only by the holding member 62, but the free end 61 of the rope 16 may be locked or held by means of a rope holding member 'l0 which is carried by the rear sheave 10. This rope holding member 66 has a cam-shaped clamping member 71 which is provided with a releasing hook 72. The holding member is mounted on a pin 73 carried by the block or sheave 10 and the pin '73 is engaged by a pair of slotted arms-'74 integral with the U-shaped plate 75 which has the cam member '71 mounted therebetween.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that an exceedingly simple but at the sa e time practical wire tightener or puller has been provided where- -by thev Wire or member to be tightened will be held in its initial and partially tightened position until the device is re-set so that an additional tightening operation may be performed which, as hereinbefore described, may be performed without having any slack in the member to be tightened. The holding member 62 is automatic in its operation and when the wire or device is being tightened, the holding member 62 is in substantially the position shown in Figure 3, so that the cam and serrated inner face portion of the member 66 will drag on the periphery of the rope passing through the holder 62. By reason of the plurality of pulleys carried by the block or sheave 10 and the pulling block or sheave 32, a relatively great amount of power may be applied to the pulling operation by an individual thereby making it unnecessary to use a machine or other tightening means in order to pull the desired article until it has reached the desired tension. It will be apparent that this device can be used for building of fences, pulling of cables, pipes or other means and I, therefore, do not wish to be limitedf to the use of this article merely as a pulling means for fence Wire, as it is obvious that the device may be used for other purposes where great power is desired from manual eort.

A different form of holding member is disclosed in Figure 7 wherein there is shown a plate 76 having a slotted arm or extension 77. This plate 76 is slotted, as at 78, and a serrated wheel or rope clamping member '79 is mounted on a shaft 80 which is slidable in the slot 78. A xed serrated jaw 81 is disposed in confronting relation to the periphery of the rotatable clamping member 79. The slot 78 in the plate 76 is disposed on an angle to the adjacent face of the clamping member 81, so that as the rotatable clamping member 79 moves forwardly in the slot 78, it will move closer to the confronting face of the clamping member 8l. This clamp or holder shown in Figure 7 is designed for use on the hoc-k 15 to hold barbed wire to be tightened by the tightening means hereinbefore described.

What is claimed iszl. A wire stretching means comprising a pair of sheave members each including a plurality of pulleys, an intermediate sheave having a plurality of pulleys, idling pulleys carried by said intermediate sheave, a rope having one end secured to one of said pair of sheave members and engaging over one pulley of the other sheave, said rope extending in the direction of the intermediate sheave and engaging one of said idling pulleys and being continued in the direction of said other sheave and being trained over another pulley of said other sheave, said rope being continued in the direction of said one sheave, means for securing said latter continuation of said rope to said one sheave, said rope being continued back and forth from said intermediate sheave to said one sheave whereby upon pulling of the other end of the rope, said intermediate sheave is drawn toward said one sheave and said other sheave is pulled simultaneously with the movement of said intermediate sheave, and means engaging the rope and certain of the sheaves to permit loosening of the free end of the rope while holding the one sheave and the other sheave against movement relative to each other.

2. A wire stretching means comprising a pair of sheave members each including a plurality of pulleys, an intermediate sheave having a plurality of pulleys, idling pulleys carried by said intermediate sheave, a rope connecting the sheaves together and means engaging the rope whereby to hold each member of said pair of sheave members against movement while permitting the intermediate sheave member to be moved relative to each of said pair of sheave members, said rope having two portions thereof secured against movement to one of said sheave members, the intermediate portion of said rope being trained over the pulleys of said other sheave member, and an idling pulley of said intermediate sheave and the balance of said rope being trained over the pulleys of the intermediate sheave and the one sheave.

3. A wire stretching means comprising a pair of sheave members each having a plurality of pulleys, an intermediate sheave disposed between said pair of sheave members, idling pulleys carried by said intermediate sheave, said intermediate sheave having a plurality of pulleys and a rope engaging each of said sheave members and said idling sheave, said rope having an end secured to one of said sheave members, means carried by said one sheave member to releasably secure an intermediate portion of said rope thereto, said rope between said end and said intermediate portion being trained over the pulleys of said other sheave and an idling pulley of the intermediate sheave, means carried'by said other sheave for holding the length of rope extending from said end to said other sheave whereby upon loosening of the balance of the rope lsaid intermediate sheave may be freely moved relative to either of said pair of sheaves, the remaining portion of the rope being trained over the pulleys of said intermediate sheave and said one sheave.

4. A stretching means as set forth comprising a pair'of sheave members each having a plurality of pulleys, a hook carried by each sheave, an intermediate sheave having a plurality of pulleys, an idling pulley carried by said intermediate sheave, a rope engaging each of said sheaves and said idling pulley of said intermediate sheave, said rope having one end secured to a portion of one of said pair of sheave members, means carried by said one sheave member and engaging the rope inwardly of said end to hold the rope against movement, that portion of the rope between the end and said holding means being trained rst over a pulley of the other sheave, the idling pulley of the intermediate sheave and then returned to another pulley of said other sheave, the balance of the rope being trained over the pulleys of the intermediate sheave and the pulleys oi said one sheave whereby to draw said intermediate sheave in the direction of said one sheave and simultaneously draw said other of said pair of sheaves in the direction of said one sheave.

EVIN R. FERGUSON. 

